- In absolute numbers, more women than ever before are participating in labour markets worldwide. They are either in work or actively looking for a job.
- This overall figure only tells part of the story, however. During the past ten years, the labour force participation rate (the share of working-age women who work or are seeking work) stopped growing, with many regions registering declines. This reversal is notable, even though it partially reflects greater participation of young women in
education.
- More women than ever before are actually in work. The female share of total employment stayed almost unchanged at 40 percent in 2006 (from 39.7 per cent 10 years ago).